Fire-escape.



T. BOUFFORD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 12 I9I4. I 1,162,679. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH COWWASHINUTON, D. C.

J. T. BOUFFORD.

IRE ESCAPE.

APPL N FILED DEC-12,1914. 1,162,679. Patented Nov. 91:).

3 SHEETS-s 3- UNTTED STATES FATE OFFTQE.

JOSEPH T. BOUFFORD, OF LINWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed December 12, 1914.. Serial No. 876,913.

Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire escapes and it consists in the novelfeatures hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a fire escape mechanism mountedupon a wheel I supported truck or frame the said truck or frame beingadapted to be moved to a window opening and having parts adapted to bepassed therethrough for the purpose of supporting a cable when the fireescape is in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide upon the said truck orframe means for controlling the movement of the cable in order toregulate the rate of speed at which persons may descend along thefire-escape when the device is in use.

With the above objects in view the fire escape includes plates mountedupon the frame with rollers having grooves journaled between the same.Intermeshing gear wheels are mounted upon theshafts of the said rollersand the cable herembefore mentioned is passed over one roller, and underthe other. A spring pressed arm 1s pivotally mounted between the platesand carries aroller around which the said cable is trained. The saidcable is also trained over rollers which are mounted at the parts of theframe projected through the window opening and means is provided forautomatically controlling the turning movement of the rollers.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevatlon of a fireescape showlng parts in section and parts removed. Fig. '2

is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional viewofthe same cut on the line 33 ofFig. 1. Fig. lis a perspective view of aplate which may be used upon the cable of the fire escape. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of a cylinder used in the fire escape, showing partsbroken away and parts in section. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional viewof a pulley used in the fire escape. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of thesame cut on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

" The frame of the fire escape includes a platform 1 which is mountedupon wheels 2. Uprights 3 are mounted upon the platform 1 and a hookmember 4 is pivotally con nected with one of the said uprights 3. Theupperend portions of the uprights 3 are connected together by a bar 5which is provided at one end portion with an extended portion 6. Apulley 7 is carried at the end portion of the bar 5. An arm 8 is mountedupon one of the uprights 3 and is provided at its outer end with apulley 9 having a gulde 10 located over the same. A cross bar 11 ispivotally connected with the bar 5 and a bar section 12 is adjustablyconnected with the cross bar 11. The bar section 12 may be adjustedlongitudinally with relation to the cross bar 11 and when at a de siredposition with relation to the said cross bar may be secured by means ofbolts 13 which pass transversely through the said cross bar and barsection. Brace sections 14 are pivotally connected together at theirinner ends and the outer end of one plate section 14 is pivotallyconnected with the end portion of the cross bar 11 and the outer end ofthe other brace section 14 is pivotally connected with the bar 5' at apoint between the uprights 3. 'A box or other receptacle 15 is mountedupon the platform 1.

The frame of the fire escape as above de scribed may be moved over afloor until one of the uprights 3 is at the side of a window opening andthen the hook member 4: may be passed through the said opening andcaught over the window sill in order to hold the frame with relation tothe sill andv window opening. At the same time the cross bar 11 and barsection 12 extend transversely across the window openlng and the saidbar and bar section hear at their ends against the sides of the windowopening. I lVhen the frame is so positioned the brace sections 14described the end portion of the bar 5 and the arm 8 are projectedthrough the window opening.

Plates 16 are secured at their ends to the intermediate portions of theuprights 3 and rollers 17 are j ournaled for rotationbetween the saidplates. The rollers 17 are provided with grooves 18 of peculiarconfiguration,

the end portion of the one part being adapted to receive a cablehereinafter described, and theother part 19 being adapted to receiveenlargements on the cable also described hereinafter The adjacentportions of the peripheries of the rollers 17. are spaced from eachother and the said rollers 17 are provided upon their shafts withintermeshing gear wheels 20. An arm 21 is pivotally mounted between theplates 16 and is provided at one end with a journaled roller A cable 23is trained around the roller 22 thence over the pulley 7 and extendsdown and is carried .up and back over the pulley 9 and under theguide 10thence over the'most remote roller 17 thence under the other roller17and back to the roller 22. The cable 23 lies in the groove 18 of therollers 17 and the said cable 23 is provided at intervals along itslength with buttons 24 which are adapted to enter the groove portions 19upon the rollers 17 whereby the cable 23 is prevented from slipping withrelation to the said rollers. A spring arm 25 is pivotally mountedbetween theplates 16 and bears at one end against arm 21 opposite "theend thereof which carries the roller 22. Blocks 26 are located betweenthe plates 16 and screws 27 pass through the said blocks and hear attheir ends against the side of the arm 25. By adjusting the screws 27 inthe blocks 26 thearm 25 may be caused to bear with more or less pressureagainst the end portion of the arm 21. Guides 28 are mounted upon one ofthe plates 16 and cross heads 29 are slidably mounted in the guides 28.The cross heads 29 are provided at their intermediate portions withslots 30 which receive pins 31 mounted upon the gear wheels 20.Cylinders 32 are mounted upon the plates 16 and pistons 33 are slidablymounted inthesaid cylinders. Piston rods 34 are connected at one endwith the piston 33 and at their other ends with extensions 35 carried bythe cross heads 29. The, extensions 35 are provided with fingers '36 theobject of which will be explained hereinafter. The cylinders 32 areprovided at their opposite ends with valves 37 controlled by springs 38which are relatively weak. The springs '38 normally hold the valves 37closed against their seats on the cylinders 32 and when the valves 37move to open positions they move inwardly with relation to the cylindersto uncover the said seats. 7 Flexible valves 39 are also securedto theends of the cylinders 32 and normally cover ports 40 provided at theends of the cylinders. While the valves 39 are flexible it takesconsiderable internal pressure within the cylinders 32 to move thesaidvalves away from the portslO to permit air within the cylinder 32 toescape. A bartl is pivotally connected with the intermediate portion ofthe arm 21 and is slidable under the intermediate guides 28. Thecylinders 32 are provided at their ends with pipes 12 111 "which arelocated valvest3 and valves 44:.

Rodshi connect the valves 1% at the opposite ends of the cylinder 32together and; rods 46 connect the rodse5 with the arm rods 50 connectthe levers l7 with the stems of the nearer valves 43. Rods 51 con-.

nect the stems oi the valves 13 upon the pipes 42 of the same cylinder32 together;

Rods 52 connect the levers e7 with the levers l3 and rods 53 connect thelevers 4:8 with the levers l9.

The operation of the fire escape is as follows: hen the cable 23 isremoved from the receptacle 15 and thrown through the window opening andassumes the position substantially as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings aperson desiring to descend with the cable grasps the portion 6 andswings out of the window opening and grasps'the other run of the cable23. The weight of the said person causes the cable to move longitudinally and consequently the pulleys 17 are rotated. Inamsuch as the gearwheels 20 rotate with the pulleys the pins 31 are car- 7 ried around thecenters of the wheel 20 whereby the said pins cause the cross heads 29to move along thcguides 28. Thus the rods 3eare moved longitudinallyand-the pistons 33 are reciprocated in the cylinders 32.

. fore described. Therefore as the pistons 33 r a At the same time theweight which'is applied to thevcable 23 causes the arm 21 to reciprocatein the cylinders 32 the air in h, the opposite ends ofthe said pistonsis com ressed and the turning movement of the pulleys 17 is retarded andthe descent of the person having hold of the cable 23 is prevented frombeing too precipitous.

As hecross heads 29 mov'e the fingers 36 are carried in contact witheither of the levers 47 and 49 and consequently the rods50are movedlongitudinally whereby the valves -13 in the pipes 42 are closed orpartially...

closed. When one valveis partially closed the other valve is moved to anopen position so that the escape of air-from the opposite end of thecylinder is restricted. Under normal conditions the air may enter the.cylinder at that end thereof from which the piston 33 is moving bypassing through the port usually closed by the valve 37. However ifexcessive weight is suddenly applied to the cable 23 the movement on thepart of the frame 41 and the rod 45 completely close the valve 44 andduring this time the air can escape from the cylinders through the ports40 only. Thus in the event that the fire escape is over loaded it isimpossible for the load to fall swiftly to the ground. Plates 54; may beused in conjunction with the cable 23 the said plates being providedwith slots 55 adapted to receive the cable and engage the buttonsthereon the said plates 54- having at their opposite sides and beyondthe opposite edges of the slot 55 out standing lugs 56 which bearagainst the side edges of the cable and hold the plates in properposition thereon. The plates 541: may

be applied to the belts of helpless persons and consequently as the saidpersons descend the plates 54 will remain in proper position upon thecable 23. hen the said helpless persons reach the ground and the cable23 begins to ascend the plates 54 twist or turn with relation to thecable 23 and the cable slips out of the plates through the slots 55.Thus means is provided for automatically disengaging helpless personswho are strapped to the cable, from the same.

Having described the invention what is claimed is v 1. A fire escapecomprising a pulley, a cable trained about the pulley, a cross headmounted for reciprocatory movement, means operatively connecting thecross head with the pulley,

a cylinder mounted adjacent the pulley,

a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, a rod operatively connectingthe piston with the cross head, a valve controlled pipe connected withthe cylinder, a lever pivotally mounted and operatively connected withthe valve and means movable with the cross head and engageable with thelever to move the said valve.

2. A fire escape comprising a pulley, a spring pressed arm pivotallymounted, a roller journaled upon said arm, a cable trained about saidpulley and roller, a cross head mounted for reciprocatory movement,means operatively connecting the cross head with the pulley, a cylindermounted adja cent the pulley, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder,a rod operatively connecting the piston with the cross head, a pipeconnected with the cylinder and having a plurality of valves, a leverpivotally mounted and operatively connected with one of the valves,means operatively connecting the other valve with the arm, and meansmovable with the cross head and engageable with the lever to move thevalve connected thereto.

Lin-testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH T. BOUFFORD.

lVitnesses:

J. EARLE BROWN, EDoUARn J. AUGri.

Copies of this patent niay be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G."

